Move Over, Nemo: Disney Announces Ellen-Powered ‘Finding Dory’ Sequel

meriah

Movie TalkApril 2, 2013

Dory in 'Finding Dory'

Cue Ellen DeGeneres' happy dance. The comic is getting top billing to reprise her role as an absent-minded fish in "Finding Dory," the just-announced sequel to Disney-Pixar's 2003 classic, "Finding Nemo."

Disney says "Dory" will swim into theaters on November 25, 2015.

(And in case you're wondering, the lifespan of a Dory-like blue tang fish is well over 10 years. Having said that, Disney says the film takes place about a year after the first film.)

"I have waited for this day for a long, long, long, long, long, long time," DeGeneres said via Disney's press release. "I'm not mad it took this long. I know the people at Pixar were busy creating 'Toy Story 16.' But the time they took was worth it. The script is fantastic. And it has everything I loved about the first one: It’s got a lot of heart, it's really funny, and the best part is -- it's got a lot more Dory."

But all you Nemo fans, don't fret, your favorite lovable clownfish is set to return, too, according to director Andrew Stanton, along with Marlin, the Tank Gang, and several other original "Nemo" characters.

DeGeneres announces 'Finding Dory' on Tuesday

DeGeneres also took pleasure in announcing the new "Nemo" title on her show on Tuesday, echoing her prior remarks, adding, "So kids, let that be a lesson to you -- Anything is possible if you're patient and you beg hard enough on national television."

There will also be a bunch of newbies in "Dory" that are yet to be announced.

This time the fish have ditched the seas surrounding Australia for the California coastline.

"One thing we couldn't stop thinking about was why she was all alone in the ocean on the day she met Marlin. In 'Finding Dory,' she will be reunited with her loved ones, learning a few things about the meaning of family along the way."

If "Dory" comes close to the success of "Nemo" it will be in great shape. "Nemo" was the highest grossing G-rated movie of all time when it came out, won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, and is currently the fourth highest grossing animated film worldwide banking more than $920 million.

As Dory said in "Nemo," "Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. What do we do? We swim, swim."